Match book



May 361944. L. D: s. BARROS 2,

MATCH BOOK Original Filed Sept. 12, 1941 Lem-n31" defiliar'rus,

P t nted Ma 9 4.

2,3 o,14 4 aren B QK Leonor de Souza Barros, Sao Paulo, Brazil Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

410,635, September 12. 1941; This application Decembert3l, 1943, Serial No. 516,433 '1 5 Claims. (Cl. 206-29) This application is a substitute for my prior application, fofer. No. 410,635, filed September 12, 1941.

This invention relates to match books of that .charact erembodying a stack of matches mounted ln'a cover having a cover flap and a retaining flap or tongue therefor, and provided with a match striking surface.

Ordinarily in such match books the striking surface is arranged on the. back leaf of the book iorjon the front face of the retaining tongue formed by the turned over portion at one end of .the cover between which and the back leaf the ,base of thefmatch stack is secured, or it is arranged on the cover fla or some other part of ;th'e.book where it is freely exposed on the outside of the book. In other cases the striking surface is disposed on the outer face of the free end of the cover flap so that when the cover flap is closed the striking surface will underlie the retaining tongue. In such latter cases, however, the striking surface is either exposed to the outside of the book through a slot in the tongue or is partly exposed through an open joint between the free edges of the cover flap and tongue. In all these applications where the striking surface is fullyor partly exposed such surface is liable to be coated or soaked with moisture so as to render it inoperative as a match igniting surface and which often occurs when the match .book is laid or kept on a serving bar, table or trayon which liquids are spilled or is kept in a garment pocket soaked with perspiration which is absorbed by the book. All match books of the character described are, moreover, subject to the objection that moisture spilled or otherwise collected thereon may freely pass through the joint between the cover flap and retaining tongue of the closed book and pass by capillary attraction to the match heads, whereby the matches are rendered useless.

sunrface is exposed is that this surface is liable to. be marred or injured by contact with extraneous objects. One object of my invention is to provide a i physical injury.

Another object of the invention is to provide a match book having a striking surface arranged at the free end of the cover leaf and adapted to be tucked under the retaining flap wherein,

sun another objection to match books in which the striking off the surfaces of the book.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a Joint closing means or hood which will act as an auxiliary keeper or retainer to more securely hold the flap closed aswell'as a moisture shedding or deflecting surface. f

' Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the match striking surface may be firmly supported and backed at the time of use to insure the ready ignition of a match and in a position in whichtlie cover leaf 'is'closed against any possibility of the danger of the-entire stack of matches being ignited"fr"om the freshly ignited match.

In the accompanyingdrawing illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved match book in closed condition. i

Fig.2 is a similar view of the book as opened for the extractionof a match.

Fig. 3 is a similar vie w'of the book with parts disposed for a match striking operation.

Fig. 4 is a face view, withpartsbroken away and in section of the closed-boo Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the closed book. i j

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts as arranged in Fig. 3.

is a cross-section on the line .1-1 of of headed match splints, the match splints of ing tongue or flange 1.

each row being fixed at their ends opposite their headed ends to a bottom or base carrier strip 3.

This match stack is inclosed in acover 4 preferably formed of a single piece of flexible and more or less resilient material, such as cardboard or like material. folded upon itself to provide a backleaf 5, a front or cover leaf 5, and a retain- The leavess and 6 are integrally united at their upper ends by a portion 8 which overhangs the headed ends of the matches and protects the same in the closed condition ofthe book. The tongue or flange 1 is preferably formed by'folding the lower portion of the back leaf 5 inwardly and backwardly upon itself so as to overlie the base strips 3 ofthe match splints, which are fastened to the cover by a staple or other fastening means 9 which also secures the tongueor flange-l in proper relative position.

The free end portion of the cover leaf 6 15 provided upon its outer face with a match striking ing tongue 1 between the staple 9 and free edge of the tongue so that it will be overlapped by the tongue to hold the cover leaf 6 securely in closed position. The free part of the tongue I, that is to say, that part lying between the staple 9 and the free edge of the tongue, is of such depth as to completely overlie the surface 10 when the leaf 6 is in closed position, so that it will protect said surface It! against access of moisture thereto or against injury to said surface If) by rubbing contact with extraneous objects in the handling of the book The cover leaf 6 is provided adjacent to the match striking surface with means designed to guard and prevent as far as possible the entrance of moisture between the cover leaf and free edge of the tongue when the cover leaf is in closed position. This means comprises a moisture shedding guard or hood, preferably but not necessarily formed as a part of the cover leaf 6, which is designed to abut against and more or less overhang the free edge of the tongue when the cover leaf is in closed position. The guard or hood is preferably formed by transversely bending the leaf 6 upon itself to form a substantially U- V shaped or V-shaped transverse fold H connecting the body portion of the leaf with its free edge portion provided with the match striking surface. The fold ll so formed includes an outer wall or portion l2 inclined outwardly and toward the free end of the leaf and an inner wall or portion I3 bent inwardly and upwardly, or at a reverse angle of inclination to the portion I2. By this means a keeper recess I4 is formed to receive the free edge of the tongue 1 and a moisture shedding hood or guard I5 is formed which overlies the keeper recess and free edge of the tongue when the leaf 6 is in closed position.

It will thus be seen that when the book is closed the match striking surface III will be fully covered by the tongue I to prevent any moisture from coming into direct contact with the match striking surface and rendering it ineffective for use as an ignition surface, as well as to prevent injury to the match striking surface by rubbing engagement of the same with extraneous objects during the handling of the book. When the book is inclosed position, also, the free edge of the tongu will be disposed in the recess l4, so that the part II will operate as an auxiliary fastener to assist in holding the cover leaf closed, while at the same time the guard portion l5 of the member II will overhang the free edge of the tongue and act as a deflector or water shedding surface tending to prevent any moisture which may have fallen on the tongue or cover leaf from from finding its way into the joint between the free edge of the tongue and the cover leaf and saturating the match striking surface. By ths construction also moisture is prevented from entering at this point and passing by capillary attraction to the heads of the matches and rendering the matches useless.

As stated, it is often the case that when match books are placed for the convenience-pf users on serving bars, tables or trays where liquors are dispensed, liquor splashing from glasses or other receptacles or otherwise spilled falls upon the match books. In such cases where the match books are provided with exposed match striking surfaces, the match striking surface is liable to become soaked with the liquid and rendered useless and often the liquid finds its way through the joint between the tongue and cover leaf to the match heads and renders the matches useless. My improved construction of match book overcomes this objection, as the construction and arrangement of the parts are such that in the closed condition of the book the match striking surface is protected against liquid falling directly thereon or flowing directly thereto from the cover leaf, while the guard I5 operates as a moisture shedding or deflecting surface which tends to deflect any liquid away from the joint between the cover leaf and tongue and preventting its entrance thereto, thus giving an additional safeguard against the passage of moisture to the match striking surface or to the headed ends of the matches.

A further advantage of my improved construction of match book resides in the fact that as the portion l3 of the fold II is more or less resilient, it tends by reaction to force the match striking portion outward and keep it confined beneath the tongue and to maintain the free edge of the tongue within the keeper recess. An additional advantage is that the leaf 6 may be disposed in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6 for a match igniting operation, in which the match striking portion 10 overlies the tongue 1 which, with the underlying bound portions of the matches, will form a firm support for the match striking surface during the operation of igniting a match. In this position of the cover the cover will be closed so as to guard the contained match stack against any possibility of being accidentally ignited by the freshly ignited match. A further advantage of my improved construction of book is that with the arrangement of the parts as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the member ll may be used as a reinforced surface on which a thumb or finger or the operator may be arranged to bear and pressure exerted to hold the match striking surface firmly down during a match igniting action, in which the edge of the guard l2 may serve as a guide for the match in the striking operation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, the construction, mode of use and advantages of my improved match book will be readily understood without a further and extended description, and it will be evident that it may be as conveniently and economically manufactured as match books of conventional type and by the use of machinery of the character generally employed. While the structure disclosed is preferred, it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts, falling within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A match book comprising a match stack and a cover for the stack including a retaining tongue and a cover leaf having a free end portion adapted in the closed position of the leaf to be extended beneath and held by the tongue, said free end portion of the cover leaf being provided with a match striking surface arranged in the closed position of the leaf to be covered by the tongue and said free portion of the cover leaf being provided adjacent to the match striking surface with moisture deflecting means lying on the outer side thereof and projecting outwardly beyond the plane of said match striking surface and forming a keeper to receive and interlock with the free edge of the tongue and also forming a hood s disposed in the closed position of said leaf as to overlie the joint between the leaf and free edge of the tongue.

2. A match book comprising a match stack, and a cover for the stack including a retaining tongue and a cover leaf having a free end portion adapted in the closed. position of the leaf to be extended beneath and held by the tongue, said free end portion of the cover leaf being provided with a match striking surface arranged in the closed position of the leaf to be covered by the tongue and thereby protected against moisture and injury, and said free end portion of the cover leaf being also provided adjacent to the match striking surface with an outwardly projecting portion integral therewith and providing a surface to interlock with the tongue and providing a surface lying outwardly beyond the plane of said match striking surface and arranged to overhang and deflect moisture away from the joint between the leaf and free edge of the tongue when the cover leaf is closed.

3. A match book comprising a match stack,

and a cover for the stack including a retaining tongue and a cover leaf having a free end portion adapted to be extended beneath the tongue, said free end portion being provided with a match striking surface adapted to be covered by the tongue and also having a part folded upon itself to provide a keeper to receive the free edge of the tongue and a moisture shedding guard to overlie the joint between the closed cover and said edge of the tongue.

4. A match book comprising a match stack, and a cover for the stack including a retaining tongue and a cover leaf having a free end portion adapted to be extended beneath and held by the tongue, said free end portion of the leaf being provided with a match striking surface arranged to be covered by the tongue and said free end portion of the leaf including a part offset therefrom outwardly beyond the plane of said match striking surface and forming a moisture shedding hood arranged to overlie the free edge of the tongue in the closed position of the leaf.

5. A match book comprising a match stack, and a cover for the stack including a retaining tongue and a cover leaf having a free end portion adapted to be extended beneath and held by the tongue, said free end portion of the leaf being provided with a match striking surface arranged in the closed position of the leaf to be covered byfthe tongue and being folded transversely upon itself adjacent to said surface to form a keeper to receive the free edge of the tongue and a hood to overlie the tongue, said folded portion also serving as a stiffening member on which pressure may be exerted to hold the striking surface down against the tongue to form a firm support for said surface in striking a match thereon.

LEONOR on SOUZA BARROS. 

